What with developed countries doling out bucks to reimburse the travelling expenses of the government employees or civil servants? Talking of the colossal wastage of money by the most developed economy, the US, how can one overlook the squandering away of $146 million by federal employees over a period of one year on first class airline tickets? A review by over a dozen of agencies has revealed that over one year, 67% of the premium class travel by executives or their secretaries were unjustified. To be more precise, 32 state department employees flew from Washington to Liberia in premium class over a six months period, five of whom did not have authorisation, three had duplicate tickets and 17 were not properly justified. The consequence being an expenditure of $293,000 instead of what could have been $124,000 – a desecrate of $169,000.

Scotland too has apparently not faltered from frittering away cash on its civil servants. The public workers who have been relocated receive surplus cash for traveling to new destinations. As if that’s not enough, Transport Scotland is paying $2,000 a week to enable commuting of 57 staff members. And perhaps what comes as a further blow is the fact that Scottish Public Pensions Agency estimated of having spent £92,000 extra on travel of civil servants over the last five years. Back home, an Agriculture Department executive made 25 premium class flights worth Rs.163,000. And people’s representatives are not to be left out in this endeavour for Rs.855 crores has been doled out on the 534 Members of Parliament over a period of five years.

This unofficial use of official funds not only creates cost overrun for important projects but also creates hurdles in a country’s growth. Often, serving officials mistaken national wealth as their personal wealth. Sadly, it is their poorer brethrens who end up paying the price with destitution and helplessness